1. Yale University Art Museums, New Haven, CT

The largest collection of British art outside the UK is kept at the Yale Center for British Art, designed by modernist architect Louis B. Kahn (1901–74). The Yale University Art Gallery, an earlier Kahn building of 1953, is noted for its American paintings and decorative arts.

Yale Center for British Art • 1080 Chapel St. • 203 432 2800 • open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat, noon–5pm Sun • free • www.ycba.yale.edu

Yale University Art Gallery • 1111 Chapel St. • 203 432 0600 • open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat, 1–6pm Sun • free • www.artgallery.yale.edu

2. RISD Museum of Art, Providence, RI

Students at New England’s premier art and design school seek inspiration here. The historically encyclopedic collection of more than 84,000 objects is notable for late-19th-century painting (including French Impressionism), as well as post-1960 arts in various media. Contemporary studio crafts and furniture are also strong. Early American furniture stars in the decorative arts wing.224 Benefit St. • 401 454 6500 • Open 10am–5pm Tue, Wed, Fri–Sun, 10am–9pm • Adm • www.risdmuseum.org

3. Harvard Art Museum, Cambridge, MA

One of the world’s most wide-ranging university art museums, it boasts outstanding collections of ancient Greek, medieval, Renaissance, Impressionist, Expressionist, and Asian art.485 Broadway • 617 495 9400 • Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat, 1–5pm Sun • Adm • www.harvardartmuseums.org

4. Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton, MA

Since its 19th-century founding, Smith has collected contemporary art. Rufino Tamayo’s Nature and the Artist: The Work of Art and the Observer, commissioned by the college in 1943, offers a rare chance to see a work by one of Mexico’s leading muralists.Elm St. • 413 585 2760 • Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sat, noon–4pm Sun • Adm • http://scma.smith.edu/artmuseum

5. Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, MA

With its emphasis on modern art, this museum is the perfect complement to the Old Masters and Impressionists at the neighboring Clark. Don’t miss Morning in a City, by American realist Edward Hopper (1882–1967).15 Lawrence Hall Dr. • 413 597 2429 • Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat, 1–5pm Sun • Free • www.wcma.org

6. Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, Brunswick, ME

Named for Bowdoin College alumni Robert E. Peary (1856–1920) and Donald B. MacMillan (1874–1970), this museum brings their daring Arctic explorations to life. Natural history specimens, Inuit artifacts, and photographs offer insight on the cultures of the far north.Hubbard Hall, Bowdoin College • 207 725 3416 • Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat, 2–5pm Sun • Free • www.bowdoin.edu/arctic-museum

7. Hood Museum of Art, Hanover, NH

Assyrian stone reliefs from the palace of Ashurnasirpal (around 900 BC) are the Hood’s prize display. Strong selections of Native American, Melanesian, and sub-Saharan art bring a global sweep to the galleries.Dartmouth College • 603 646 2808 • Open 10am–5pm Tue, Thu–Sat, 10am–9pm Wed, noon–5pm Sun • Free • www.hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu

8. Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry, Storrs, CT

The key exhibits at this unique museum are the puppets of Frank Ballard (1929–2010), a drama professor who set up America’s first degree course in puppetry.Depot Campus, 6 Bourne Pl., University of Connecticut • 860 486 0339 • Open noon–5pm Fri–Sun late Apr–late Nov • Donation • www.bimp.uconn.edu

9. Harvard Museum of Natural History, Cambridge, MA

As the public face of three Harvard research institutions, this museum combines the charm of old-fashioned artifacts with the thrill of cutting-edge science. The Glass Flowers are famous world-wide for their utterly realistic recreation of plants and blossoms. Dinosaur skeletons, gemstones, and meteorites invariably elicit awe.26 Oxford St. • 617 495 3045 • Open 9am–5pm daily • Adm • www.hmnh.harvard.edu

10. Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson and Wales University, Providence, RI

This small museum of the culinary arts and hospitality industry never fails to delight, with its historic roadside diners, a fascinating collection of kitchen gadgets, and even a rundown on state and presidential dinners. See how the hierarchy of the professional kitchen developed, and learn about great chefs through the ages.315 Harborside Blvd. • 401 598 2805 • Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sun • Adm • www.culinary.org